Safety electrical plug release mechanism

ABSTRACT

A lever operated safety connect-and-disconnect mechanism for a pair of telescopic electrical cable terminal connectors comprising a guide means attached to one of the connectors projecting beyond the entrance thereof and having a pair of slotted flanges and a lever means connected and pivoted to the other connector having a pair of trunnion pins for fitting into the slots of the flanges of the guide means, whereby oscillation of the lever moves the two connectors into and out of engagement. The improvement in this mechanism resides in means for preventing jamming, over-riding, and breakage of the connectors and insuring their operation by providing stops, wedges and/or additional pin means on the guide means and lever means.

United States Patent 1191 Barrett, Jr. et a].

[ Sept. 17, 1974 SAFETY ELECTRICAL PLUG RELEASE MECHANISM [73] Assignee:said Barrett, by said Marcussen [22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1972 [21] Appl.No.: 288,522

3,688,243 8/1972 Yamada et al 339/49 R Primary Examiner-Bobby R. GayAssistant ExaminerTerrell P. Lewis [5 7 ABSTRACT A lever operated safetyconnect-and-disconnect mechanism for a pair of telescopic electricalcable terminal connectors comprising a guide means attached to one ofthe connectors projecting beyond the entrance thereof and having a pairof slotted flanges and a lever means connected and pivoted to the otherconnector having a pair of trunnion pins for fitting into the slots ofthe flanges of the guide means, whereby oscillation of the lever movesthe two connectors into and out of engagement. The improvement in thismechanism resides in means for preventing jamming, over-riding, andbreakage of the connectors and insuring their operation by providingstops, wedges and/or additional pin means on the guide means and levermeans.

24 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 1 SHEU 1 OF 3 PAIENIEDSEPI 71914 saw 2 or 3 FIG-4 FIG. 3

FIG.5

FIG.6

FIG. 8

FIG. 7

SAFETY ELECTRICAL PLUG RELEASE MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONQuick safety connect-and-disconnect means for electrical terminalconnectors comprising guide means with slotted flanges and lever meanswith trunnion pins to fit in the slotted flanges are known, but improperoperation of these devices could and often causes jamming and breakingof the connectors by wedging them apart, not inserting the trunnions intheir proper slots, and/or over-riding the slots, all of which causeeither bad connections or prevent quick release of the connectorsthereby defeating the primary purpose of the safety mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The terminal sockets to which the safetyconnectand-disconnect device of this invention is adapted, comprise apair of interfitting non-conducting plastic housings for one or more andpreferably two electrical cables connected to electrical contactterminals inside the housings. These sockets are formed so that theytelescope or nest together and the terminals therein are in wipingelectrical contact with each other. Such sockets are used, for example,in the electrical cable conductors to and from batteries for lifttrucks, and for the charging of these batteries. Thus it is importantthat such high current conducting connectors are properly insulated andcan be quickly disconnected in case of a short circuit or other failureof the electrical system to prevent further damage. Thus a manuallyoperated lever safety means has been provided which has a mechanicaladvantage for readily breaking such connections.

This safety lever means comprises a guide means that is anchored bybolts or the like to one of the pair of nesting sockets. The guide meansprojects in front of the open end of the socket and supports a pair ofslots that act as journals for trunnion means or pins which are locatedon a bail shaped lever connected to the other socket of the pair. Thuswhen the trunnion pins are fitted into the slots and the bail shapedlever is oscillated, the pins cause the two sockets to move toward andaway from each other. However, if these slots are over-ridden by thetrunnion pins when the two connectors are placed together, or if thetrunnion pins are placed on the wrong side ofthe flanges having theslots, jamming and even breakage of the sockets can occur, preventingtheir quick release. Also the mechanisms which are attached to theplastic sockets may be provided with extensions for guiding and clampingthe ends of the cables, to further insure the proper operation of thesafety device, and to prevent the cables from being pulled from theirsockets.

The improvements of this invention which are directed to means forinsuring the proper operation of the safety lever mechanism for thesesockets comprise one or more of the following features: First of all,each of the flanges or lugs that form the slots for the trunnion pinsare provided with different length sides so that the trunnion pins whenbeing slid toward the slots as the two sockets are aligned, will bestopped by the longer flange or side of the slots in which the pins arejournalled. Another way of insuring proper engagement of the trunnionpins in their journalled slots is to provide trunnion pins which extendoutwardly on both sides of each end of the bail lever and to offset theflanges or lugs forming the two sides of each slot, so that one lug actsas a stop for one pin extension and the other lug acts as a bearing forthe other pin extension to force the two sockets together. Still anotherway is to provide the longer lugs or flanges with an overhanging or hookportion. Also one of the lugs or flanges forming the slot which acts asthe stop may be wider and/or tapered, so that if the trunnion pinover-rides its top it will not lock'behind it and prevent the socketsfrom being pulled apart or separated. In addition to these featuresadditional flanges or hook means may be provided on the guide meanswhich engage wedges or projections on the means for mounting the levermeans, so that once the two socket members start to connect with eachother they cannot be moved laterally to break their sockets,'either byan outside force or by the operation of the lever means. This hook meansalso prevents the lever means from being operated if its trunnion pinsare not properly journalled in the slots. Still further, additionaltrunnion pins, may be provided on the lever means to engage both sidesof one of the slot forming flanges.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providemeans on such quick lever operated safety mechanism for such electricalterminal connectors to prevent them from becoming jammed or overridingtheir proper positions and/or breaking the housings of the connectorswhen the lever for operating them is not trunnioned in the proper slots.Thus, it is an object of this invention to insure positive and directaligned connection and disconnection of such socket connectors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above mentioned and otherfeatures, objects, and advantages, and a manner of obtaining them aredescribed more specifically below by reference to embodiments of thisinvention shown in accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pulled apart pair of telescoping cableconnecting sockets for industrial battery terminals having a leveroperated safety device to connect-and-disconnect the sockets improved tohave special shaped slots for the trunnion pins according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the two socketsin their connected position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the safety deviceconnectors shown in FIG. 2 with the cables removed and part of one ofthe sockets broken away;

FIG. 4 is a right end view of the connectors shown in FIG. 3 with halfof the sockets broken away;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodimentof this invention having a hook means for preventing lateral movement ofthe sockets once they are engaged;

FIG. 6 is a right end view of FIG. 5 with half of the sockets brokenaway;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view similar to FIGS. 3 or 5 of stillanother embodiment of this invention in which the trunnion pin projectsonly from one side of the lever means;

FIG. 8 is a right end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 with halfof the sockets broken away;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of thisinvention, similar to FIG. 7 but showing a different shaped stop lug orflange for the slot;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged side elevational view of the central portion ofthe embodiment shown in FIG. 9, and showing the lever in an erroneousbut non-locking position in dotted lines;

FIG. 11 is a right end elevational view of FIG. 10 with half of thesockets broken away; and

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of still a further embodiment of thisinvention wherein an additional trunnion type means is provided on thelever to bracket one of the two lugs that form the slot for the othertrunnion means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Referring first to theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2the ends of two pair of insulated electrical cables C, one of which pairis connected into a plastic connector or housing socket having a pair ofhollow sockets ends 22 in which are located metal conductor terminalsthat electrically contact with similar metal conductor terminals 24 inthe socket ends 26 of a similar plastic having socket 28. These twosockets 20 and 28 fit together when aligned as shown in FIG. 2 towipingly electrically connect their terminals 24 in their socket ends 22and 26.

Attached to one of the pair of sockets 28, such as by rivets, screws orbolts and nuts 30, is a guide means 32 which extends beyond the entranceof the socket ends 26 and near its outer end has two pairs of spacedlugs or flanges 34 and 36 between which are slots 38. In this particularembodiment, the flanges 34 are offset inwardly with respect to theflanges 36, as best shown in FIG. 4. The plate or guide means 32 may beprovided also with a longitudinal central slot 33 to permit anoninterfering space for bolts 30.

Connected to the other socket 20 of the pair is a lever plate orsupporting means 40 which also may be attached thereto by means ofrivets, screws, or bolts and nuts 30. This supporting plate 40 isprovided with a pair of side flanges 42 for journalling the pivots 44 inthe sides ofa bail shaped lever 46. The lower edges 43 (see FIG. 3) ofthese flanges 42 are contoured to slide over the outer ends of flanges34. Near the outer ends of the two sides of the bail or U-shaped lever46, and closer to the pivot 44 than the cross connection or handleportion 48 of the lever 46, are provided trunnion pins 50 which extendoutwardly from both sides of the lever 46 and fit into and/or arejournalled between the two lugs or flanges 34 and 36 in the slots 38.

In order to operate the improved quick release safety connecting deviceof this invention, the lever 46 is placed in the position shown in FIG.1 and the two sockets 20 and 28 are then moved toward each other inalignment until the inwardly projecting portions of the trunnion pins 50pass over the tops or ends of the shorter flanges 34, and the outwardlyprojecting portions of the trunnion pins 50 engage against and arestopped by the edge of the longer flanges 36. In order to prevent thesepins 50 from over riding the flanges 36, these flanges 36 may also beprovided with the hooked extensions 37. Once the trunnion pins 50 are incontact with the flanges 36, no further engagement of the sockets 20 and28 can be made without moving the lever 46 around its pivots 44 in thedirection of the arrow shown in FIG. 2, which causes the inwardlyextending trunnion pins 50 to move down into the slots 38 and pushagainst the inside of flanges 34 to force the two sockets 20 and 28 intocomplete engagement and to hold them in that position (see FIGS. 2 and3). By offsetting the flanges 34 from the flanges 36, there is noobstruction by the flanges 34 with the outwardly extending portions ofthe trunnion pins 50 which could stop or prevent further movement of thesocket 20 toward socket 28, or to prevent their outwardly extendingportions of pins 50 from being caught on the front edge of the shorterflanges 34.

When the device in its connected position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is tobe quickly disconnected, the bail or handle portion 48 of the lever 46is grabbed and pulled in the direction of the arrow shown at the top ofFIG. I. This movement causes the trunnion pins 50 to push against theinside of the flanges 36 in slot 38 to pull the two sockets 20 and 28apart, and then when the bail lever 46 is in the position as shown inFIG. 1, there is no further obstruction of pins 50 by the flanges 34 sothat the socket 20 may be completely separated from the socket 28 asshown in FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 there is shown an additional feature for a quickrelease safety device, shown adapted to the embodiment in FIGS. 1through 4. This additional feature comprises an additional pair offlanges 52 on the guide means 32, which have wedge shaped hook means 54for cooperating with a pair of outwardly projecting side flanges or lugs56 on the inner end of plate 40 on the other socket 20. Thus, whensockets 20 and 28 are in their connected position as shown in FIG. 5,they are hooked from lateral movement so that there is no possibility ofpulling on the bail 48 of the lever 46 at right angles to the centerlines of the sockets to break them. In this embodiment the higherflanges 36 do not have the additional hook means 37, as shown in theprevious embodiment.

Another embodiment of this invention is disclosed in FIGS. 7 and 8 inwhich the pair of lugs or flanges 64 and 66 on the outwardly extendingend of the guide means 32 are not offset but in alignment with eachother as shown in FIG. 8. However the inner flange 66 is larger than theouter flange 64, so that the trunnion pins can pass over the end of theflange 64, fit into the slot 68 and be stopped by the inner edge of thelarger flange 66, so as to insure the movement of pins 70 into slots 68.Particularly in this embodiment the lower edge 43 of the flange 42 mustbe contoured and- /or stepped to fit over the outer ends of both flanges66 and 68 (see FIG. 7). An additional feature, which herein is shownadapted to the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, is shown in FIGS. 9, l0 and11 wherein the longer lug or flange 67, corresponding to large flange66, is shown to be much wider and to have a tapering or sloping end 69,against which the trunnion pin 70 can ride, if it slides over the end ofthis longer flange 67. Thus as long as this pin 70 rides on the edge 69,it cannot lock behind the flange 67 so as to prevent release of thesockets (see the dotted line position 46' of the lever 46 and itstrunnion pin 70' shown in FIG. 10).

A still further embodiment of this invention is shown in FIG. 12 whereinthe lugs or flanges 64 and 66 with slots 68 between them are similar tothose shown in the embodiment in FIGS. 7 and 8, but the lever 46 isprovided with a pair of trunnion means 80 and 82 angularly spaced aboutthe pivots 44 of each leg of the lever 46. These trunnion means 80 and82 may be formed by flanged means at the end of each leg of the lever 46as shown, or by pins as in the other embodiments previously described.The trunnion means 80 are guided into the slots 68 and are preventedfrom over-riding these slots by the trunnion means 82 that contact theoutside edge of the outer flanges 64, thus the flanges 64 are bracketedby the trunnion means 80 and 82.

Although the different embodiments show different structural means andways for assuring the proper operation of the safety lever connector ofthis invention, many of these different ways and features may beincorporated in the other embodiments, or added thereto withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention. For example, any one of theembodiments may be provided with or without the clamping flanges 41 onthe plates 32 and/or 40 for the ends of the cables C as shown on plate40 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 9. Furthermore, the additional wedge shapedhooking flanges 52 shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be addedto and employed with any one of the other embodiments. Similarly, thewidened flange 67 shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 may beincorporated in the other embodiments, if desired, as can the hook means37 disclosed in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4 be added to thelonger flanges 36, 66, and/or 67 in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9, respectively. Alsothe additional trunnion means 82 shown in the embodiment of FIG. 12 maybe added to the ends of the levers 40 shown in the other embodiments.

Thus, any one or more of the different improvements described may becombined with the lever operated safety connector and disconnectordevice for further assuring the proper operation of the device, withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention, and it should be clearlyunderstood that this description is made only by way of example and notas a limitation to the scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. A pair of telescopic electrical connector sockets having insulatedhousings comprising:

A. a lever means pivoted to one housing and having trunnion means,

B. a flat plate attached to one side of one of said sockets andextending in the telescoping direction beyond the end of said onesocket, said plate having a pair of inner and a pair of outer parallellugs extending from its opposite edges near its outer end. said lugsforming parallel slots between the inner and outer lug of each pair forengaging said trunnion means, whereby oscillatory and longitudi nalmovement of said lever means engages and disengages and separates saidsockets, respectively, and

C. means on said housings for insuring said engagement of said trunnionmeans in the slots formed by said parallel lugs.

2. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 wherein said levermeans is a bail shaped lever means.

3. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 wherein said meansfor insuring said engagement of said trunnion means in said slotscomprises the extension of the ends of said inner lugs beyond the endsof said outer lugs to act as stops for said trunnion means.

4. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 3 wherein saidextension of the end of said inner lugs includes a hook means extendingpartly over the open ends of said slots.

5. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 wherein said meansfor insuring said engagement of the said trunnion means in said slotscomprises an addi tional trunnion means on said lever for engaging theouter edge of the outer lugs.

6. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 wherein the innerpair of lugs is sufficiently wide so as to prevent said trunnion meansfrom over-riding their outer ends.

7. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 wherein saidinsuring means comprise said pairs of lugs being offset with respect toeach other, and said trunnion means projecting on both sides of saidlever means with its projection on one side engaging one pair of saidlugs and its projection on the other side engaging the other pair ofsaid lugs.

8. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 including meansfastened to said housings for preventing transverse movement of saidhousings when said housings are in their connected position.

9. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 8 wherein said meansfor preventing transverse movement comprises a hook means on one of saidhousings and lugs on said other housing engageable with said hook means.

10. A quick release safety cable connector comprising:

A. a pair of interfltting electrical terminal sockets surrounded bynesting insulated housings,

B. engaging means attached to one of said housings comprising a flatplate attached to one side of one of said sockets and extending in thetelescoping direction beyond the end of said one socket, said platehaving a pair of inner and a pair of outer parallel lugs extending fromits opposite edges near its outer end, said lugs forming parallel slotsbetween the inner and outer lug of each pair, and

C. a pivoted lever means attached to the other of said housings, andhaving trunnion means engageable in said slots between said lugs formoving said sockets towards and away from their nesting engagementposition as said lever means is oscillated from one of its limitingpositions to the other, and for separating said sockets, and

D. means to insure engagement of said trunnion means in said slotsbetween said lugs wherein said inner pair of lugs are larger than saidouter pair of lugs.

11. A connector according to claim 10 wherein said insuring meanscomprises an extension on inner pair of lugs to act as a stop for saidtrunnion means.

12. A connector according to claim 10 wherein said insuring meanscomprises a hook means on inner pair of lugs.

13. A connector according to claim 10 wherein said insuring meanscomprises one of said pair of lugs being offset with respect to theother said pair of lugs, and trunnion means extending on both sides ofsaid lever means with its extension on one side engaging said one pairof lugs as a stop and its extension on the other side engaging saidother pair of lugs as a journalling means for moving said sockets towardand away from each other.

14. A connector according to claim 10 including means for preventingtransverse movement between said housings when said housings are intheir nested position.

15. A connector according to claim 14 wherein said preventing meanscomprises hook means attached to one of said housings and lug meansattached to other said housings engageable with said hook means.

16. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 10 wherein said innerpair of parallel lugs is sufficiently wide so as to prevent saidtrunnion means from overriding their outer ends.

17. An improved safety make-and-release means for connecting anddisconnecting a pair of electrical connector sockets in insulatedinterfitting housings, comprising:

A. guide means attached to one of said sockets having a pair of slottedflanges, one on each side of and in front of said one socket, one sideof each of which slots is longer than the other side to act as a stop,and wherein the sides of said slots are offset with respect to eachother, and

B. a bail shaped lever means attached to the other socket of said pairand being pivoted on opposite sides of said other socket, and havingtrunnion means which fit in the slots of said slotted flanges of saidguide means, said trunnion means extending on both sides of said levermeans, with the extended trunnion means on one of said lever meansengaging one side of said slots and with the extended trunnion means onthe other side of said lever means engaging the other side of saidslots, whereby movement of said sockets towards each other engages saidtrunnion means against said longer side of said slots, and then movementof said lever means moves said trunnion means into said slots andfurther moves said sockets towards each other into electrical contact,and opposite movement of said lever means disconnects said sockets andsaid contact.

18. A safety means according to claim 17 wherein said longer sides ofsaid slots include hook means extending at least partly over the openend of said slots.

19. A safety means according to claim 17 wherein said means attached tosaid sockets include means for clamping electrical cables at the otherend of said sockets from their interfitting ends.

20. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 17 including meansfastened to said housings for preventing transverse movement of saidhousings when said housings are in their connected position.

21. An improved safety make-and-release means for connecting anddisconnecting a pair of electrical connector sockets in insulatedinterfitting housings, comprising:

A. guide means attached to one of said sockets having a pair of slottedflanges, one on each side of and in front of said one socket, one sideof each of which slots is longer than the other side to act as a stop,and including a flange having a wedged shaped slot, and another meansattached to the other said socket including a lug for fitting into saidwedge-shaped slot for preventing transverse movement of said socketswhen said sockets are in their connecting position, and

B. a bail shaped lever means attached to the other socket of said pairand being pivoted on opposite sides of said other socket, and havingtrunnion means which tit in the slots of said slotted flanges of saidguide means, whereby movement of said sockets towards each other engagessaid trunnion means against said longer side of said slots, and thenmovement of said lever means moves said trunnion means into said slotsand further moves said sockets towards each other into electricalcontact, and opposite movement of said lever means disconnects saidsockets and said contact.

22. An improved safety make-and-release means for connecting anddisconnecting a pair of electrical connector sockets in insulatedinterfitting housings, comprising:

A. guide means attached to one of said sockets having a pair of slottedflanges, one on each side of and in front of said one socket, one sideof each of which slots is longer than the other side to act as a stop,and

B. a bail shaped lever means attached to the other socket of said pairand being pivoted on opposite sides of said other socket, and havingtrunnion means which fit in the slots of said slotted flanges of saidguide means, and wherein said lever means includes additional trunnionmeans for engagement with the outside of said slotted flanges to act asa stop means, whereby movement of said sockets towards each otherengages said trunnion means against said longer side of said slots, andthen movement of said lever means moves said trunnion means into saidslots and further moves said sockets towards each other into electricalcontact, and opposite movement of said lever means disconnects saidsockets and said contact.

23. In a pair of telescopic electrical connector sock ets havinginsulated housings; including:

A. a lever means pivoted to one housing and having trunnion means, and

B. two pairs of parallel lugs fastened to the other housing formingslots between the lugs of each pair for engaging said trunnion means,each pair of said parallel lugs being aligned toward and away fromconnectors of said sockets, whereby oscillatory movement of said levermeans engages and disengages said sockets, the improvement comprising:

C. means on said housings for insuring said engagement of said trunnionmeans in the slots formed by said lugs, said insuring means comprisingadditional trunnion means on said lever for engaging the outer edgesaway from the lugs.

24. In a pair of telescopic electrical connector sockets havinginsulated housings including:

A. a lever means pivoted to one housing and having trunnion means, and

B. a pair of parallel inner and outer lugs fastened to the other housingforming slots for engaging said trunnion means, whereby oscillatory andlongitudinal movement of said lever means engages and disengages andseparates said sockets, respectively, the improvement comprising:

C. means on said housings for insuring the engagement of said trunnionmeans in the slots formed by said parallel lugs comprising an additionaltrunnion means on said lever for engaging the outer edge of the outerlugs.

1. A pair of telescopic electrical connector sockets having insulatedhousings comprising: A. a lever means pivoted to one housing and havingtrunnion means, B. a flat plate attached to one side of one of saidsockets and extending in the telescoping direction beyond the end ofsaid one socket, said plate having a pair of inner and a pair of outerparallel lugs extending from its opposite edges near its outer end, saidlugs forming parallel slots between the inner and outer lug of each pairfor engaging said trunnion means, whereby oscillatory and longitudinalmovement of said lever means engages and disengages and separates saidsockets, respectively, and C. means on said housings for insuring saidengagement of said trunnion means in the slots formed by said parallellugs.
 2. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1 wherein saidlever means is a bail shaped lever means.
 3. A pair of connector socketsaccording to claim 1 wherein said means for insuring said engagement ofsaid trunnion means in said slots comprises the extension of the ends ofsaid inner lugs beyond the ends of said outer lugs to act as stops forsaid trunnion means.
 4. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 3wherein said extension of the end of said inner lugs includes a hookmeans extending partly over the open ends of said slots.
 5. A pair ofconnector sockets according to claim 1 wherein said means for insuringsaid engagement of the said trunnion means in said slots comprises anadditional trunnion means on said lever for engaging the outer edge ofthe outer lugs.
 6. A pair of connector sockets according to claim 1wherein the inner pair of lugs is sufficiently wide so as to preventsaid trunnion means from over-riding their outer ends.
 7. A pair ofconnector sockets according to claim 1 wherein said insuring meanscomprise said pairs of lugs being offset with respect to each other, andsaid trunnion means projecting on both sides of said lever means withits projection on one side engaging one pair of said lugs and itsprojection on the other side engaging the other pair of said lugs.
 8. Apair of connector sockets according to claim 1 including means fastenedto said housings for preventing transverse movement of said housingswhen said housings are in their connected position.
 9. A pair ofconnector sockets according to claim 8 wherein said means for preventingtransverse movement comprises a hook means on one of said housings andlugs on said other housing engageable with said hook means.
 10. A quickrelease safety cable connector comprising: A. a pair of interfittingelectrical terminal sockets surrounded by nesting insulated housings, B.engaging means attached to one of said housings comprising a flat plateattached to one side of one of said sockets and extending in thetelescoping direction beyond the end of said one socket, said platehaving a pair of inner and a pair of outer parallel lugs extending fromits opposite edges near its outer end, said lugs forming parallel slotsbetween the inner and outer lug of each pair, and C. a pivoted levermeans attached to the other of said housings, and having trunnion meansengageable in said slots between said lugs for moving said socketstowards and away from their nesting engagement position as said levermeans is oscillated from one of its limiting positions to the other, andfor separating said sockets, and D. means to insure engagement of saidtrunnion means in said slots between said lugs wherein said inner pairof lugs are larger than said outer pair of lugs.
 11. A connectoraccording to claim 10 wherein said insuring means comprises an extensionon inner pair of lugs to act as a stop for said trunnion means.
 12. Aconnector according to claim 10 wherein said insuring means comprises ahook means on inner pair of lugs.
 13. A connector according to claim 10wherein said insuring means comprises one of said pair of lugs beingoffset with respect to the other said pair of lugs, and trunnion meansextending on both sides of said lever means with its extension on oneside engaging said one pair of lugs as a stop and its extension on theother side engaging said other pair of lugs as a journalling means formoving said sockets toward and away from each other.
 14. A connectoraccording to claim 10 including means for preventing transverse movementbetween said housings when said housings are in their nested position.15. A connector according to claim 14 wherein said preventing meanscomprises hook means attached to one of said housings and lug meansattached to other said housings engageable with said hook means.
 16. Apair of connector sockets according to claim 10 wherein said inner pairof parallel lugs is sufficiently wide so as to prevent said trunnionmeans from over-riding their outer ends.
 17. An improved safetymake-and-release means for connecting and disconnecting a pair ofelectrical connector sockets in insulated interfitting housings,comprising: A. guide means attached to one of said sockets having a pairof slotted flanges, one on each side of and in front of said one socket,one side of each of which slots is longer than the other side to act asa stop, and wherein the sides of said slots are offset with respect toeach other, and B. a bail shaped lever means attached to the othersocket of said pair and being pivoted on opposite sides of said othersocket, and having trunnion means which fit in the slots of said slottedflanges of said guide means, said trunnion means extending on both sidesof said lever means, with the extended trunnion means on one of saidlever means engaging one side of said slots and with the extendedtrunnion means on the other side of said lever means engaging the otherside of said slots, whereby movement of said sockets towards each otherengages said trunnion means against said longer side of said slots, andthen movement of said lever means moves said trunnion means into saidslots and further moves said sockets towards each other into electricalcontact, and opposite movement of said lever means disconnects saidsockets and said contact.
 18. A safety means according to claim 17wherein said longer sides of said slots include hook means extending atleast partly over the open end of said slots.
 19. A safety meansaccording to claim 17 wherein said means attached to said socketsinclude means for clamping electrical cables at the other end of saidsockets from their interfitting ends.
 20. A pair of connector socketsaccording to claim 17 including means fastened to said housings forpreventing transverse movement of said housings when said housings arein their connected position.
 21. An improved safety make-and-releasemeans for connecting and disconnecting a pair of electrical connectorsockets in insulated interfitting housings, comprising: A. guide meansattached to one of said sockets having a pair of slotted flanges, one oneach side of and in front of said one socket, one side of each of whichslots is longer than the other side to act as a stop, and including aflange having a wedged shaped slOt, and another means attached to theother said socket including a lug for fitting into said wedge-shapedslot for preventing transverse movement of said sockets when saidsockets are in their connecting position, and B. a bail shaped levermeans attached to the other socket of said pair and being pivoted onopposite sides of said other socket, and having trunnion means which fitin the slots of said slotted flanges of said guide means, wherebymovement of said sockets towards each other engages said trunnion meansagainst said longer side of said slots, and then movement of said levermeans moves said trunnion means into said slots and further moves saidsockets towards each other into electrical contact, and oppositemovement of said lever means disconnects said sockets and said contact.22. An improved safety make-and-release means for connecting anddisconnecting a pair of electrical connector sockets in insulatedinterfitting housings, comprising: A. guide means attached to one ofsaid sockets having a pair of slotted flanges, one on each side of andin front of said one socket, one side of each of which slots is longerthan the other side to act as a stop, and B. a bail shaped lever meansattached to the other socket of said pair and being pivoted on oppositesides of said other socket, and having trunnion means which fit in theslots of said slotted flanges of said guide means, and wherein saidlever means includes additional trunnion means for engagement with theoutside of said slotted flanges to act as a stop means, whereby movementof said sockets towards each other engages said trunnion means againstsaid longer side of said slots, and then movement of said lever meansmoves said trunnion means into said slots and further moves said socketstowards each other into electrical contact, and opposite movement ofsaid lever means disconnects said sockets and said contact.
 23. In apair of telescopic electrical connector sockets having insulatedhousings; including: A. a lever means pivoted to one housing and havingtrunnion means, and B. two pairs of parallel lugs fastened to the otherhousing forming slots between the lugs of each pair for engaging saidtrunnion means, each pair of said parallel lugs being aligned toward andaway from connectors of said sockets, whereby oscillatory movement ofsaid lever means engages and disengages said sockets, the improvementcomprising: C. means on said housings for insuring said engagement ofsaid trunnion means in the slots formed by said lugs, said insuringmeans comprising additional trunnion means on said lever for engagingthe outer edges away from the lugs.
 24. In a pair of telescopicelectrical connector sockets having insulated housings including: A. alever means pivoted to one housing and having trunnion means, and B. apair of parallel inner and outer lugs fastened to the other housingforming slots for engaging said trunnion means, whereby oscillatory andlongitudinal movement of said lever means engages and disengages andseparates said sockets, respectively, the improvement comprising: C.means on said housings for insuring the engagement of said trunnionmeans in the slots formed by said parallel lugs comprising an additionaltrunnion means on said lever for engaging the outer edge of the outerlugs.